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Fantasy baseball: The best pitching available

By Mike Wollschlager, New Haven Register

Updated:
05/18/2013 07:44:44 PM EDT

New York Yankees starting pitcher David Phelps throws a pitch to the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning of their MLB American League game at Yankee Stadium in New York, May 18, 2013. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)

There's a handful of hurlers who are under-owned with the potential to make an immediate impact. All of the following are owned in 20 percent or less of the Yahoo! leagues. Here's the best of the bunch.

- David Phelps: Why the Yankees' substitute starter for Ivan Nova is owned in only eight percent of leagues is mind-boggling. Almost as mind-boggling as me dropping him a week and a half ago.
My thinking was, his next three starts were in Colorado and against dangerous offensive teams in Cleveland and Toronto. He always excelled as a long reliever, but when given the chance to start, he struggled. I should have waited.

Phelps gave up just two runs and three hits to the Rockies and only one run on four hits to the Indians. He didn't get a win in either game, but came through on Saturday when the Yankees bats gave him plenty of run support. He went seven innings — the longest outing of his career — and gave up just one run while striking out eight.

Phelps is making his case to be a permanent fixture in the Yankees rotation, Nova or no Nova.

- Vidal Nuno: If Phelps is having success, why not Nuno? Andy Pettitte's replacement should get the start on Tuesday and has impressed in the small sample size he has provided.

Nuno hasn't allowed a run in eight innings with the Yanks this season and earned the win in the second game of a doubleheader Monday at Cleveland. He was sent back to the minors, but recalled when Pettitte got hurt.

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His ERA in the minors was 1.38 in 2011, 2.54 in 2012 and 1.54 this year. He won't keep the 0.00 he currently sports in the majors forever, but his track record is as good as any pitcher you never heard of before.

- Josh Lindblom: This one is risky, but there's a potential reward. Lindblom has already been both a second- and third-round draft pick and been traded for Shane Victorino and then Michael Young.

A year ago he was rumored to be in the mix to be the Dodgers closer, but now he's a starter for the Rangers and will be called up Monday to take the place of Alexi Ogando. A strikeout per inning, a career 3.31 ERA and .227 batting average against who's now starting for the best team in the American League? You can take worse risks than Lindblom.

- Rick Porcello: He barely won the Tigers' fifth starter job out of spring training and started slow, but has put together four strong outings in a row. His spot in the rotation is finally solid.

- Mike Leake: The Reds righty hasn't been great, but he's been good enough, including two scoreless outings in his last six starts. Tony Cingrani. not Leake, got sent down to make room for the returning Johnny Cueto. Leake's not a bad choice if you need to plug a...you know.

Mike Wollschlager can be reached at mwollschlager@nhregister.com. Follow Mike on Twitter at @nhrMikeW.